Dogs are adorable as pets and millions of people around the world have pet dogs. There has been a significant rise in the number of pet dogs and dog owners in the last few years. However, it is very important to keep in mind that bringing home a pet is not enough. It needs proper care and attention. Different breeds of dogs require different kind of care but there are a few basic things that all dog owners must abide by.
Feeding schedules
Dogs must receive proper nutrients at each stage of their growth. Their growth cycle is much faster than human beings and hence the quantity of food given and the kind of food given should be decided with the help of a doctor.
- Once the dog has reached a certain age, the amount of food can be fixed. The dog must also be fed enough water. A feeding routine must also be made and maintained.
- Each breed of dog has different nutritional requirements. The amount and kind of food to be given must be decided based on the breed, upon consultation of a doctor.
- Dogs should be fed proper dog food. While buying the dog food the labels must be read carefully, there are many companies manufacturing pet food and not all are healthy for the pet.
- Human food should be avoided. The four-legged creatures have not evolved enough to digest the human food we eat. Spices and oil, which is a major content of human food, is harmful for them. It will shed their coat.
- Chocolates are dangerous for them and might also kill them. However, some food can be given, if the doctor approves of it.
- One may give their pets a treat or two once in a while but not too often.
A proper food routine will make the dog healthy and keep it fit.
Health care
The health of the dog must be trusted with a good veterinarian doctor.
- Dogs should be taken to the doctor for a regular checkup.
- They should get regular vaccination as per the recommendation of the doctor.
- A regular parasite prevention should be done too.
- One should also consider pet health insurances to cover up the cost of their treatment, if need be.
- Dogs need daily exercises to keep fit. One must take out their pets for regular walks. In case, it is not possible to take the dog outside, one can plan exercises inside the house too. The amount of exercise required depends on the breed of the dog and the food intake.
- Mental health of dogs is as substantial as physical health. It must be treated with love and care.
- Training them is important but one should not be harsh with them.
Dogs are gentle species but might often turn out to be aggressive if it is beaten up too hard or receives ill treatment.
Grooming
It is very important to maintain hygiene for the pets.
- Dogs must be brushed on a regular basis. The frequency of brushing will depend on the breed of the dog and the amount of fur it sheds.
- The coat must be kept clean and hence they must be bathed regularly.
- While bathing them, it is advisable to use chemical free shampoos and conditioners. Human soaps and shampoos should not be used at all, using it will cause damage to the fur.
- The nails should be trimmed regularly.
While, one may love to see their dogs as pretty as it can get, one should not over do the grooming. Often, the coat is trimmed in certain patterns to make it visually appealing but it is harmful for the dog, the coat is there naturally and protects the dogs against many things. If the fur is growing, it may be trimmed. But such grooming techniques must not be adopted at all.
These grooming techniques often involve harmful chemicals that might cause skin diseases, rashes and more. Under no circumstances should any dog be exposed to these.
Provide a proper living space
There are some basic needs that dogs have much similar to human beings. They need a proper place to sleep and move about.
- It is advised not to bring home a pet if the house lacks enough space.
- In case, one doesn’t have enough facilities to let their dogs roam freely in the house, one must not adopt a dog, to keep it limited to a crate the whole day or chained up most of the times.
- The house must be kept clean and it must be made sure there is no trash lying around on the floor. Dogs tend to pick up anything they find on the floor, by their mouth. If the floor is dirty, it often leads to stomach infection. They tend to swallow some of the trash and fall sick.
- Apart from providing a proper living space, it is necessary to provide proper living conditions too.
- Each breed of dog traces their origin to different corners of the world and hence each breed of dog is naturally adapted to certain climatic conditions. As globalization happened, people across the globe started adopting all breeds of dogs. Over the years, though they have evolved to adapt to all climatic conditions globally, it must be kept in mind certain dog breed need special environmental conditions to survive.
For example, a Siberian husky will survive naturally in American countries but will face difficulties sans an air conditioner in tropical countries like India. Hence, any breed of dog must be kept in proper climatic conditions at home, regulating the temperature with basic technologies like heaters, coolers, air conditions etc., as per needs.
Dogs need good care and one must think carefully and be extremely sure before getting home a dog. While getting a dog, it must be kept in mind that they need love, affection and care. Often this care is costly, time consuming and requires effort. Only if one is capable of doing these, one must decide to get a dog home.